San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-06

walked over the fields 10 the mill itself.
II was q bright night; the valleys which
stretch away behind Lyme lay all bathed
in n beautiful moonlight; everything was
peaceful and quiet, except the heart
Of the girl who went along the
lonely way. She met no one, she saw
nothing; her soul was full Of an ineXtin-
guishable craving for vengeance; she was
like tigre bereft Of her cubs.
The mill stood alone in its field, silent,
and backed by the black depths of its
shadows and the woods. The top of the
big wheel could be made at standing
clear against the sky. Beneath it poured
the waters of the Leaf, which in the day
time worked the wheel.
| stole like n shadow through the or.
chard; on the other side, away from the
mill, was a Kinney, or penthouse, where
Joshua's wagon was kept. | sat down
on the broad wheel Of the wagon, trying
to put my disordered thoughts into
some sort Of shape. / hungered for re-
yenge; | longed to make him suffer. |
had come here to feel near to the man on
whom was going to work revenge.
He was on the other side of the wall,
thought. He was chuckling, no doubt,
over the end of my love story-laughing
to think that my lover was serving before
the mast on one of his majesty's ships
for three long years. Oh, villain!
1t was something to be near him, to feel
that one could even kill him if one had
the strength-that alone was wanting; to
think that close to him one could execute
whatever the mind could conceive.
Presently, as listened, heard voices
Some one was with him then. crept
from the penthouse and stepped lightly
over the narrow flower bed which stood
beneath the window. The shutter was
closed, but one knew what sort of shut
ter would be that of Joshua's cottage at
the mill In fact, it was not even barred
and there was a hole in it, through which
| saw what was going on. The visitor
was our old friend Mr.. Mallock, justice of
the peace. and he was talking in his mag
isterial way.
"Quite a providence, Joshua"-he
wagGed his head till his purple cheeks
shook and wabbled-"that you were able
to rescue the ~..rgo. Quite providence
At one time l thought should be able to
dismiss the charge, but it was impossible
Poor old Dan! Poor boysl Who was the
villain that informedP''
81 wish we knew, sir"
81 wish we did, with all my heart He
would get warm reception at Lyme, /
promise him so much However-three
years-it is a long time. You may send
me, Joshua, at the old price-ah!-twenty
kegs-yes, / think l had better secure
what | can get. Twenty kegs. Dear me!
They can come tomorrow morning in flour
sacks. will pay for them now"
There was a great counting out of
money on the table. When Joshua was
satisfied that it was all right, he put it up
in little bag and promised to bring the
brandy next morning.
Then the worthy justice of the peace re-
tired. slipped back to my place of con-
ceGimcnt, while Joshua accompanied his
visitor TO the door, with many expressions
Of gratitude for his custom and his con-
dOlences.
"You are very welcome, Joshua, very
welcome, " said his worship; land as for
that villain''-
He disappeared in the darkness, still
muttering what he would do, had he the
power, to the scoundrel who spoiled an
honest mans trade.
Joshua went back, and heard him bar
the door, 50 that knew he would have
no other visitors.
Then | returned TO my place and
watched him again through the hole of
the shutter.
shaking. No doubt he was thinking of
his villainy.
lie went to the cupboard in the wall
and drew out a bottle, containing, / knew
well, some Of poor Dan Gulliver's best.
I 1,a -, L., Go
as he drank from n wine glass.
The brandy gave him courage, | sup
pose, for he looked round him with more
assured air. What he was saying to him
self, believe, was that no one knew except
Capt. Pollard, and he certainly could not
tell. Nobody knew! Why, within a
short six feet Of where he stood was the
girl he had so foully wronged burning to
be avenged.
He tied the bag of money which Mr..
Mallock had left with him tightly, and
taking a short, thick poker which stood
beside the andirOns, he pried up the
hearthstOne. There he deposited the bag
and replaced the stone carefully, taking
the precaution to sweep ashes over the
edges so as to conceal the fact of its recent
removal We all used the hearthstone
for our bank and we all went through the
same formality of trying to hide the fact.
This done, he looked around him again
and sighed-with another thought of his
villainy, suppose-and seized the stone
bottle which held the brandy. One, two,
three glasses in succession of raw spirit
Was this his nightly custom or was he
seeking to drown remOrse? Then he took
the candle, opened the door which stood
at the bottom of the stairs and stumbled
up to his bedroom. 1t seemed to me that
Joshua was likely to sleep heavily after
all that brandy.
l waited below, motionless, until the
light was eXtinguished Then l began
cautiously to see if could open the win.
dow The shutter was not secured, as !
said before. The window was upon
hinges and opened inward. 1t was a
heavy window, consisting of small square
panes Of thick glass set in lead. lifted
the latch which fastened it by means of a
small twig The window fell open;
waited for moment to see if Joshua was
reused and then climbed into the room.
What | was going to do was simply 10
rob Joshua. That was part of my revenge.
Not to get any advantage out of the money
for myself at all, but just to deprive him
of it.
1t was nothing to me being without q
light in the room. l knew exactly where
everything was. l first bolted the door of
the staircase. That would secure me
plenty of time for escape, should Joshua
be reused. Then 1 took the poker and
prised up the hearthstone cautiously.
Feeling in the dark, l discovered one, two,
three-eight bags, all tied up, and all
containing money. Now was quite GER
tain, when | laid my hands upon those
bags, that / was not only going to take